Adjustable razor blade cartridge

ABSTRACT

The specific disclosure provides a safety razor system comprising a cartridge having at least one single cutting edge blade and a guard member having a transverse blade guard surface, and a handle including means for releasably engaging the cartridge. The system also includes means for movably supporting the guard member on the cartridge, and means connected to the handle for engaging the guard member to adjust the guard surface with respect to the cutting edge of the blade.

United States Patent [191 Kuhnl June 18, 1974 ADJUSTABLE RAZOR BLADECARTRIDGE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 595,799 12/1947 Great Britain30/63 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L.Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-.1ames F. Powers, Jr.; Albert H. Graddis[57] ABSTRACT The specific disclosure provides a safety razor systemcomprising a cartridge having at least one single cutting edge blade anda guard member having a trans verse blade guard surface, and a handleincluding means for releasably engaging the cartridge. The system alsoincludes means for movably supporting the guard member on the cartridge,and means connected to the handle for engaging the guard member toadjust the guard surface with respect to the cutting edge of the blade.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 1 ADJUSTABLE RAZOR BLADE CARTRIDGE IBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to safetyrazors of the type having at least one blade permanently bonded in adisposable and replaceable cartridge.

It is known to permanently bond a blade in a disposable and replaceablecartridge. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,864,995 and 3,388,831 eachdisclose a razor system having a blade permanently bonded in adisposable and replaceable cartridge. Typically, a safety razor has aguard surface situated downwardly and outwardly from the cutting edge ofa blade and parallel to the cutting edge. The guard surface may be ofthe comb variety such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,995, or may beformed by an outer surface of an elongated guard bar such as shown inU.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831. The car tridges disclosed in the foregoingpatents have factoryset shave angles which are defined bytherelationship between ablade cutting edge and a guard surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a safetyrazor system wherein the shave angle is adjustable to meet a need orpreference of a user.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safetyrazor system comprising a cartridge including at least one singlecutting edge blade bonded thereto and a guard member having a transverseblade guard surface. The system also comprises a handle having means forreleasably engaging the cartridge. Means are provided for movablysupporting the guard member on the cartridge, and means are connected tothe handle for engaging the guard member to adjust the guard surfacewith respect to the cutting edge of the at least one blade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 6 is a view of an underside of anupper portion of another razor system embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the upper portion of the system ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view in side elevation of the upper portion of ahandle used in the embodiment of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. l through 5,a disposable and replaceable cartridge 10 is releasably secured to ahandle or holder 12. The holder 12 has a transverse generally U-shapedchannel member 14 at the upper end thereof, and the member 14 has flangeportions l6, 18 for sliding engagement in a T-shaped channel 20 2.formed in the underside of the cartridge 10. The holder 12 also has aspring member 22 for biasing a detent portion 24 at the upper end of thespring into a notch (not shown) formed in the T-shaped channel 20.

The cartridge 10 comprises a-pair of single edge blades 46, 48 separatedby a spacer 50 which are sandwiched between a cap member 42 and a bladeseat member 44. The spacer 50 can have a plurality of channels (notshown) extending from between the cutting edges of the blades 46, 48 toports 60 for passage of shaving residue from between the blades.

An elongated serrated guard bar 52 is spaced forwardly and downwardlyfrom the cutting edges of the blades 46, 48 by a plurality of ribs 56.Each end of the guard bar 52 is spaced a slight distance at 58 from theblade seat member 44. The guard bar52 has a cam follower member 54extending downwardly therefrom.

A cam member 30 is mounted on a frame 40 of the holder 12 by means of athreaded bolt 38 which is rigidly securedto the cam member 30 and to aknob 36. The cam member 30 has a cam surface 32 for abutting engagementwith the cam follower member 54.

The cap and blade seat members42, 44 are formed of moldable plastic. Theguard bar 52 and the ribs 56 are molded integrallywith the blade seatmember 44 such that the cam follower member 54 is arcuately biased intoabutting engagement with the cam surface 32. Thus, rotary movement ofthe cam member 30 by means of the knob 36 causes the guard bar 52 tomove with respect tothe cutting edges of the blades 46, 48 to therebyadjust the shave angle of the cartridge 10. A plate 34 having numeralsradially displayed thereon is provided to give a user an indication ofthe shave angle setting of the cartridge 10.

FIGS. 6 through 9 show an alternative embodiment wherein a cartridge 75constructed in the manner described hereinabove with respect to FIGS. 1through 5 has a follower member 74 integrally formed with a guard bar 70which, in turn, is pivotally mounted to the cartridge 75 by a pluralityof ribs 72. A finger grip 78 is rigidly secured to a threaded insert 80having a boss 81 in abuttingengagement with the follower member 74. Thefollower member 74 is molded such that it is biased into abuttingengagement with the boss'8l. Rotary movement of the finger grip 78causes the threaded insert 80 to move perpendicularly with respect tothe frame 76 to thus move the guard bar with respect to the cuttingedges of blades 88, 90 and thereby adjust the shave angle of thecartridge 75.

As used herein, the front or forward end of the cartridge 10; and/or theholder 12 is that end having the guard bar 52; 70. Thus, transverse isused herein to identify a side-to-side direction that. is at leastsubstantially parallel to the guard bar 52; 70.

What is claimed is:

1. In a safety razor system comprising a cartridge including at leastone single cutting edge blade bonded thereto and a guard member having atransverse blade guard surface, and a holder adapted to releasablyengage said cartridge, the improvement comprising:

means for movably supporting said guard member on said cartridge,

said guard member including a cam follower, and

a cam mounted on said holder and including a cam surface for abuttingengagement with said cam follower when said cartridge is engaged by saidholder, said cam surface being disengaged from said cam follower whensaid cartridge is disengaged from said holder,

said cam being manually operable for adjusting said guard surface withrespect to the cutting edge of said at least one blade.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises plasticstructure molded for biasing said cam follower into abutting engagementwith said cam surface.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said cam follower is biased intoabutting engagement with said cam surface.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said cam surface is a helical camsurface.

5. In a safety razor system comprising a cartridge including at leastone single cutting edge blade bonded thereto and a guard member having atransverse blade guard surface, and a holder adapted to releasablyengage said cartridge, the improvement comprising:

means for movably supporting said guard member on said cartridge, and amanually operable member threadedly mounted on said holder for abuttingengagement with a portion of said guard member to adjust said guardsurface with respect to the cutting edge of said at least one blade whensaid cartridge is engaged by said holder, said manually operable memberbeing disengaged from said guard member portion when said cartridge isdisengaged from said holder. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein saidsupporting means comprises plastic structure molded for biasing saidportion of said guard member into abutting engagement with said member.

1. In a safety razor system comprising a cartridge including at leastone single cutting edge blade bonded thereto and a guard member having atransverse blade guard surface, and a holder adapted to releasablyengage said cartridge, the improvement comprising: means for movablysupporting said guard member on said cartridge, said guard memberincluding a cam follower, and a cam mounted on said holder and includinga cam surface for abutting engagement with said cam follower when saidcartridge is engaged by said holder, said cam surface being disengagedfrom said cam follower when said cartridge is disengaged from saidholder, said cam being manually operable for adjusting said guardsurface with respect to the cutting edge of said at least one blade. 2.The system of claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises plasticstructure molded for biasing said cam follower into abutting engagementwith said cam surface.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said camfollower is biased into abutting engagement with said cam surface. 4.The system of claim 1 wherein said cam Surface is a helical cam surface.5. In a safety razor system comprising a cartridge including at leastone single cutting edge blade bonded thereto and a guard member having atransverse blade guard surface, and a holder adapted to releasablyengage said cartridge, the improvement comprising: means for movablysupporting said guard member on said cartridge, and a manually operablemember threadedly mounted on said holder for abutting engagement with aportion of said guard member to adjust said guard surface with respectto the cutting edge of said at least one blade when said cartridge isengaged by said holder, said manually operable member being disengagedfrom said guard member portion when said cartridge is disengaged fromsaid holder.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said supporting meanscomprises plastic structure molded for biasing said portion of saidguard member into abutting engagement with said member.